


Re-runs are the worst

by Melody_F_Dean



Category: The Umbrella Academy (Comics), The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Enemies to Friends, Fluff, Friends to Enemies, Multi, Slow Burn, Time Travel, Umbrella Academy - Freeform, possibly more - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-23
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:07:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25472863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Melody_F_Dean/pseuds/Melody_F_Dean
Summary: Five teleports his siblings out of the theatre just before the world collapses and they're right where they were when they were ten. Not everyone is there, though...
Relationships: Ben Hargreeves & Everyone, Ben Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves, Klaus Hargreeves & Everyone
Comments: 11
Kudos: 100





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know where this is going yet, just know I needed to write this out! Prologue in Five's POV. Enjoy :)

Five was pretty sure it would work. He knew he would be standing somewhere near Klaus, so he kept his eyes there. Was it his imagination, Or did he glimpse something just before the light became blinding? He held on tight to any part of a person he could reach and hoped that he had everyone. He doesn’t know how long it lasted. It could have been years, it could have been seconds. It’s all relative anyway, and the effects are the same.   
  
He felt the stabbing pain in his head as he collided with something hard before he even has a chance to see anything. Eventually his eyes adjusted to the dark lounge where he could see blurred outlines and hear others huffing as they try to get their balance. Quickly he counts his brothers and sisters. Six. Well that’s disappointing. He was hoping Ben would be back alive and in his body, but maybe it didn’t work like that. He hadn’t tried this before, after all.    
  
As he tried to focus more, Five saw one of the shapes bend down and pick up another, laying them on the sofa. 

_ Vanya _ .

He crawled over to where she lay, his vision slowly clearing, until he was by her side, and he could see her. Unconscious but breathing, 10 years old, and powerless for the moment but they’ll soon change that. That’s why they’re here, after all. He became aware of others coming around to surround the pair, muttering and worried.   
  
“Do you think she’s going to be okay?” he heard Allison’s concerned voice the loudest. “Maybe we should wake her up…”    
“No, let her sleep,” Five replied. “Can you imagine waking up after that journey? No, let her adjust to the time she’s in now.”   
“Uh, guys?” A familiar voice chirped up that Five hadn’t heard in a long time. His body started to react before his mind could catch up. “Where’s Klaus?”    
  
One by one they all looked up at the boy who had spoken and the room became silent, Vanya’s breathing the only audible thing.


	2. The Return of the Horror

“B-Ben??”  
“H-hey guys. Yeah I -er… I’m back,” Ben swayed and stared back at the four pairs of eyes currently gawking at him. After a few seconds Allison left Vanya’s side and staggered towards him. He didn’t move but fiercely returned the hug that she gave him when she got to him.  
“Oh my god. Ben,” she whimpered as she held him tight. Ben grasped her back, not sure whether to cry or laugh. It had been a very long time since he had been able to touch someone for any length of time and he had missed it so much. They seemed to be happy about it too. Ben didn’t miss that so much. He gave Allison one last squeeze before detangling himself from her.  
  
“I’m so glad you can all see me again,” He half laughed half whispered. “But still. Where’s Klaus?”  
  
“Number Six! Number Two!” The harsh voice made them all jump and turn to the entrance, Seeing their father survey the room, a shocked look on his face. “Why are you all out of bed? Number One, I expected better of you. Curfew was 10 minutes ago, off to bed all of you!” He swiftly left the room to the murmurs of “yes, father” and “right away, sir”. Ben turned back to the others, a perplexed look on his face.  
  
Allison looked back at Ben and put her hand gently on his shoulder.  
“I know you’re worried. I’m sure we’ll find him in the morning. He probably just popped up in a different part of the house. Right Five?” she said, turning to him.  
“Oh.. Yeah, I’m sure you’ll see him soon enough,” Five smiled kindly at Ben, placating him, but Ben could see the worried hidden in Five’s eyes.  
“Come on, we should all go to bed. It’ll be laps in the morning if Father walks in on us all again,” Luther said as he leaned down to pick up Vanya. He strode over towards the doorway, pausing as he got to Ben.  
“I’m really glad you're back, Ben.” He gave a little grin before continuing his journey. One by one the children filed out, quietly welcoming Ben back as they left him to gaze one last time around the lounge before leaving himself to go to the room he and Klaus shared. 

* * *

The next morning Ben was the first to wake. He hadn’t got much sleep. While he was a ghost, They had stayed pretty still, only really making any kind of appearance and he was feeling particularly anxious or happy, but now They were back and excited. Unfortunately for Ben, They showed Their excitement by piercing through the thin layer of skin between them and the outside world, which just happened to be Ben. It wasn't so much that it was painful - it had been in the beginning, but a thick layer of scar tissue had numbed the areas that They appeared from - more that it was uncomfortable to know that They were out while he was trying to sleep. 

At least They seemed to be paying attention to him more now than the last time he'd been alive. Every time Ben had called Them back, They came. They just didn't stay back for very long. They were like a cat being told not to do something They wanted to, and just trying again five minutes later. He decided seeing that he was up so early the best course of action was to let Them out. They just wanted to explore after all. Ben couldn't blame them. This was the first time They had been able to feel for a long time. 

As soon as Ben had thought the words They had started squirming, eager to start. He rolled onto his back and put his hands behind his head with a sigh. _Okay, go._ Before he had even finished the thought They rushed into the air, ecstatic to be roaming free. Ben let his mind wonder, safe in the knowledge that no one was in the firing range of the Horror. 

His first thought was simple. _Klaus_. He was so used to being pulled along wherever Klaus went that it felt strange not to have him here. It was unnerving. Part of him felt a new sense of freedom along with that, but the person he was most excited to share that with was Klaus. They had always been extremely close, even before Ben had died. There was an ache he had never experienced before for his missing brother. 

  
Ben watched Them gliding up the walls, feeling all the textures around Them, until he started to get hungry. With a sigh he started coaxing the back in before sitting up and walking to the dresser. He was starting to resent that Five had sent them so far back in the past. The uniform would be mandatory for another seven years and Ben was now facing a closet full of cleanly kept uniforms. _Well , if it helps Vanya_ he thought as he grabbed the closest hanger and started to pull on the clothes.  
  
  


Downstairs he was the first of the children to enter the dining area, but there was Grace already preparing breakfast for them all. 

"Good morning Number Six," Grace smiled over at him. "How are you today? I trust you slept well?" she tilted her head in concern. 

"yeah mom." he faked a smile to her fake concern. "um, do you know where Klaus is?" 

"Klaus, dear?" She cocked her head in confusion. 

"I mean… Number Four." 

"Hmm well I haven't seen him since yesterday morning." Before Ben could respond more of his siblings wandered in. 

"Number Three! Number Five! Good morning. How are you today? Did you sleep well?" Ben stayed long enough to watch Grace give the same head tilt of concern before walking away to the other side of the room. He didn't want to watch his conversation over again, and more siblings were arriving by the second. He sat down at the table, already set for breakfast, and waited with his head in his hands for it all to start.   
  
  
  
Ten minutes later Ben was looking around the table. His siblings were all pushing their scrambled eggs around their plates, pretending to eat their breakfast, while glancing at each other surreptitiously. Finally Ben voiced what they all were wondering.  
“Father,” he paused, waiting for the reprimand - they weren't supposed to speak at meal times - but none came. Mr Hargreeves only sighed on and continued eating. “Where’s Kl-Number Four?”  
“He’s currently receiving some special training, Number Six. You’ll be glad to know that you will not have to share your room for the rest of the weekend.” He almost smiled, as if he was giving Ben a huge treat. “Now, you know the rules. No talking whilst at the dining table. The next time you do so, you will be punished.” Confusion ran around the table. None of the children really knew what that meant. Not even Ben. He had seen Klaus when he returned from this training as a child, of course, but Klaus had never wanted to talk about it. Not even once he was dead. But he did remember that the nightmares got a whole lot worse once they had started.  
  
A silent understanding swept the children and they all started hurrying to finish their breakfast. That way they would be able to leave the table quickly and start planning their next move. It only took minutes for them all to be finished, and for the last of them, Diego, to clatter his cutlery and he rushed to leave the table, mouth still full. They all met up in the library. Luther turned on Five as soon as they were all present.  
  
“Five, wha-”  
“I know, I know,” interrupted Five. “Look I didn’t mean to send up this far back, we just went a bit further than I expected.” There was silence for a second and then everyone pounced at once.  
“We don’t even have names yet-”  
“All I have in my closet right now are these uniforms-”  
“What even are we supposed to do now-”  
“Everyone shut up!” Luther growled. “Look, I know it happened fast, but we had to do this. We had to come back and do this right. Five, thank you.”  
“No problem,” he shrugged. “I’m sorry we’re stuck here. I was aiming for about 15, but we overshot a little bit.” He eyed each of his siblings before continuing. “It does look like we might not have even started going on missions yet though. That’s good. We have more time to help out Vanya.” Everyone’s eyes flew to her. Vanya stood quietly, hovering near the doorway. It was as if she didn’t know if she’d be welcome or not. Ben took pity on her and grabbed her hand, pulling her into the tight circle that the siblings were forming.  
“Alright Alright. So what’s the plan? We still have to find Klaus, remember?” Ben urged. Five looked at him hopelessly.  
“Ben-”  
“You heard what dad said, he’s doing his special training somewhere.”  
“Yeah, but Ben-”  
“That’s all that’s why we haven’t seen him here yet.”  
“Ben!” Five almost shouted to get Ben to stop. “Look, I don’t know if that’s true. We all appeared in the same place, right? We’ve got to think about this logically. M-maybe be we just-”  
“No!” Ben couldn’t even let him finish his thought. “No, no no! You don’t know that, it could just be a coincidence. Maybe we all just happened to be in the same room at the same time.” The pitying looks was more than Ben could handle. He hung his head to avoid all their gazes and trudged off to the furthest corner with Them squirming in his stomach.  
  
“Right,” Luther said, watching Ben as he left before refocusing on the rest of his siblings. “Okay, so what’s the idea here? Obviously we’re here to help Vanya, so how do we do that?” As he said her name he reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder. Vanya jumped slightly at the friendly gesture. Everyone was looking at her.  
“Well… I don’t even have my powers right now,” She said quietly. “I’m back to taking my medication right now.” Her eyes slid to Allison who’s lip trembled, remember what she had done to her sister. Vanya gave her a small smile, hoping it conveyed that she didn’t blame her. They were only four, after all. They didn’t know what was going on.  
“That’s probably good right now.” Vanya’s eyes whipped round to meet Luther’s. “I don’t mean good that they were taken away in the first place, Vanya, I just mean you must have a lot of anger towards Dad right now. We all do. But we at least have control of them.” Vanya dropped her head. She knew he was right, but it still irritated her a bit.  
“Fine,” she snapped. “What’s the plan, then?”  
“Well,” Five started, “I think our first move is to try and find Dad’s research on you. That’s going to give us a better understanding of where we’re starting.”  
“I remember this thing I learnt about them from- from before.” She had almost said his name. Or one of them. “Something about them being tied to my emotions.”  
“Okay, great, that gives us someplace to start,” Five said, slightly brighter than he was just before. Having a plan made him feel more in control of the situation. “You practice handling your emotions better, the rest of us should be looking for those notes.”  
“Wait,” Vanya started “ How am I supposed to even start doing that?”  
“I don’t know,” Five answered. “We’re in a library, maybe you can find a book about it or something.” With that Five walked away. Slowly the circle dispersed, leaving Vanya standing in the middle of the room by herself.  
  


* * *

After he saw people starting to leave the library, Ben sat on the floor, knees to his chest for a few minutes before he picked up a random book and started reading. While he read, he let Them out. They made Their way slowly, curiously winding their way over the library floor, feeling the tables, the floor, the books. Ben had always been aware that he could feel what They were feeling, but he was discovering that he could also sense what They were thinking. He felt a glimmer of hope that maybe one day he’d be able to communicate with Them, not just tell Them where to go. It was a while before he noticed someone peering around a bookcase at him.  
“H-how do you do that?” Vanya looked warily as a tendril brushed her shoe gently.  
“Do what?”  
“You have your- all this- out,” she stuttered, trying to find the right words. “ But.. They’re not attacking. You’re.. In control.” She gave him an awed look as she finished.  
“It wasn’t always like this,” Ben answered with a small smile. “Before I died I didn’t really have any say in what They did. I used to be… Scared of them, I guess. But now. It’s like we understand each other a bit more.” Vanya didn’t even notice that she was moving closer to Ben until she knelt down next to him.  
“What do you think changed?” She asked, and then kicked herself. Obviously a lot changed. He died for one. She closed her eyes and waited for him to start laughing at her stupid question. It didn’t come, though. She opened her eyes and saw his head was tilted, deep in thought.  
“It’s hard to explain really,” He started, gazing at the opposite wall, trying to find the right words. “I had a lot of fear when I was alive. Every time I let Them out was when I had no other choice. They would kill everything they could get a hold of. It was terrifying, Vanya.” He swivelled his head to look at her before he continued. “But when I died, it was different. They started coming out when I was happy, or when I was sad. It was like They wanted to join in with my happiness, and console me in my sadness.” He finished, a smile spreading on his face.  
“That’s great, Ben!” Vanya grinned. “But I still don’t really understand. How can you be sure that it’s safe to have Them out?”  
“Well, aren’t you just full of difficult questions?” Ben laughed, bumping his shoulder against his sister’s. “It’s kind of difficult to explain... Basically I just had to get a hold of my emotions. Understand them better, you know?” Vanya blinked at him. How could it be that the one sibling who had to deal with the same problem as her was the one left in the same room?  
“C-could you teach me? About emotions, I mean,” She explained. “Luther and Five think that if I control my emotions better that I could stop taking my medication.” The mention of Five’s name brought the memories of the Klaus discussion back and Ben started feeling anxious. He noticed They started twitching and quickly called them back, just in case he lost control. He took a couple of deep breaths. Vanya watched.  
“I can help you as much as I can, Vanya, but it’s not like I have a perfect hold on my emotions,” he hedged.  
“Look what you just did though!” she exclaimed. “You started getting upset, you pulled Them back and then you calmed yourself down! I want to be able to do that.” She pleaded to her brother. He smiled at her, letting one tendril out. It extended to Vanya and started playing with her hair. After a moment of shock she started laughing at the sensation.  
“Of course, Vanya,” he answered. “We all want you back to how you should be as fast as possible.” They beamed at each other, settling down to have a comfortable conversation full of laughter and affection.


	3. The Return of the Seance

Ben spent the majority of the next day in his room alone. He was unsurprised when he looked over at Klaus’s empty bed after another restless night. He did try to act like it was a normal day at first, but when he had gone down to breakfast he had ran into Five, who had once again tried to explain things about the time continuum Ben couldn’t quite comprehend, and tried to convince him that Klaus wasn’t coming back. Ben couldn’t deal with it. He stomped back into his room and locked himself in before he could do anything he would regret. And that’s where he had stayed. He couldn’t accept the thought that he might not see Klaus again. It hurt just to think. There was no other word for it, he was in denial. He had laid back and let Them out as soon as he was alone and They had spent the day comforting him.   
  
It wasn’t until 3 am that anything happened. Ben had been wide awake all day. The lack of sleep and socializing had made him super aware of every creak of the house, every time his mind jumping to Klaus, and hoping he’d just reappear magically. So it didn’t quite register when he heard feet dragging in the corridor outside of his door as anything other than house noises. The hand on the door handle, however, shocked him enough into automatically calling Them back inside from Their attempts at comfort. He still lay frozen in his bed. He knew who he hoped was at the door, but there was always a chance it was Grace, or maybe one of his siblings, checking that he is alright after staying in his room all day. When he heard gentle footsteps and snivelling Ben whipped his head around. There standing in the middle of the room, a vacant expression on his face and tears and grime dried on his cheeks, was Klaus. In no time at all Ben was up and bounded over to him, pulling him into a huge hug.    
  
As soon as Ben touched him, Klaus flinched. Ben instantly let go of him as if he had received an electric shock and stood frozen in front of him. Ben would be lying if he said that the flinch didn't hurt him. He stood in front of Klaus, letting Klaus’s eyes focus on him.   
“...Ben?” he whispered, once he could make a sound. “How… How did you do that?” Ben had to assume that if he was feeling himself he would have asked with more interest. As it was, it sounded like he only put in the effort out of politeness.   
“Five brought me back,” Ben answered, his eyes appraising his brother. “I don’t fully understand it, but it’s like he put us all back in our 10 year old bodies, the same place we were and everything…” He trailed off as Klaus had started turning , not even bothering to have listened to the end of the explanation. It was obvious what he really needed was to sleep.   
“Alright,” Ben said, stretching his hand out to his brother. “Come on, let's get you cleaned up.” Before he’d even reached him, Klaus flinched away from his touch again. Ben dropped his hand, but continued to stare at his brother. After a few seconds Ben left and went to the bathroom to collect a flannel and a dry towel.    
  
When he got back Klaus had moved to sit on the edge of his bed, staring vacantly at the floor. The image of his brother sitting there brought Ben back some dim memories, all of the last time they were growing up and he’d had to clean up Klaus after his ‘training’. Why had he never asked what it was? Looking at Klaus now though, would he even have told him? Ben went and knelt in front of Klaus and grabbed his hand with a wet flannel and got to work on wiping away the majority of dried blood and dust from his hands. Klaus flinched like he did whenever he touched him now. He still didn't ask.    
  
The next 15 minutes Ben silently cleaned up his brother, changed him out of his dirty clothes and into pyjamas, and got him into his bed. As soon as he was finished Klaus had clamped his eyes shut and curled up into a ball facing the wall, pushing himself as far away from Ben as possibly. Ben stared, a feeling of dismay sweeping over him. It was plain to him now that although he had spent the last 30 hours feeling as if a part of himself was missing, Klaus hadn’t felt the same. As his despair grew, he could feel Them writhing beneath his skin, wanting to help in whatever way They could. He stood for a few more seconds, looking at the boy who housed the man that he would have happily died for again, before dropping his head and turning towards his own bed.    


* * *

  
  
It had taken less than an hour for Ben to give up on staying in bed. He had spent the whole time trying to calm himself, to relax his body, but no matter what They kept on slipping out of him. Ben had eventually left the room and made his way to the lounge, where he flopped himself down, releasing them to roam free. Of course, all They really wanted to do right now was comfort him, so They wound Themselves around him, stroking his face softly until he fell to sleep.   
  


* * *

  
  
“Number Six! What are you doing out of bed?” a gruff voice shouted, waking Ben with a start. He looked over to see his father standing in the doorway. He got up as quickly as possible, swaying slightly while he tried to orientate himself after his sudden awakening.   
“Sorry, sir,” Ben said, “I couldn’t fall asleep, so I came down here to read, and must have fallen asleep,” He half lied. They were folding in on Themselves behind his rib-cage. They seemed to be scared of his father more than Ben himself.   
“You know not to leave your room at night,” His father huffed. “I expected better of you, Number Six.” He was already walking away. Ben rubbed his chest, hoping to comfort Them and not knowing if this was really doing anything. They seemed to be loosening up though, so he had to hope so. He sighed and followed his father out and went into the dining room.   
  
  


"Good morning Number Six. How are you today? I trust you slept well?" Grace smiled as Ben walked into the room. He remembered all the mornings that started this way, and he already felt tired by the routine. He mumbled a response to her and made his way to the table where all his siblings were all standing behind their chairs, waiting silently for their father. He went to stand between Five and Vanya, trying his best not to look at Klaus. It seemed Klaus was doing the same, because when Ben slipped up, Klaus was deliberately staring down at his hands on the back of his chair, avoiding everyone’s gaze.    
  
It wasn’t long until Mr Hargeeves entered the room and quickly and silently sat at the head of the table. The children followed suit. The sound of spoons in bowls pierced the silence as everyone started in on their oatmeal. A rapid sound at the end of the table had Ben looking up to see Klaus demolishing his food, as if trying to be a personal best for speed eating. Ben stared and was quickly joined by Vanya, who looked incredulous. She had always detested this breakfast and it was beyond her was anyone would speed their way through it. All the other children looked up from their own bowls when Klaus finished his breakfast and let his spoon clatter loudly into his bowl and pushed his chair back quickly. Six pairs of eyes followed him as he practically ran out of the doorway and up the stairs.    
  
A loud cough from their father had them all whipping their heads round quickly and returning to their breakfasts. Ben found himself pushing his food around the bowl, wondering to himself why Klaus was acting like this.  _ It’s obvious. Now he has a choice he doesn’t want to be near you. _ The thought hit him like a tonne of bricks, and he slumped in his chair. The people either side of him seemed to be the only two who noticed. Five threw him a quizzical look, but Vanya put her hand into Ben’s, giving it a gentle squeeze. He gave her a grateful look before squeezing back and continuing his breakfast.    
  
“I expect to see you all in the courtyard in half an hour, children,” were their fathers parting words as he finished his own meal and left the table. As soon as he was out of site they all started whispering to each other.   
“Guys!-”   
“I know! I can't believe it-”    
“Ben, I’m so sorry,” Five started, a dumbfounded look on his face “I really did think there was no hope. I shouldn’t have tried to convince you to give up yours.” Ben looked around the table, but he couldn’t share in their excitement. He had already felt it and had it crushed. Now he just felt cold.    
“Do you know where he was?” Vanya asked quietly.   
“I don’t know,” Ben answered, looking at her. “He didn’t really say anything to me once he got back.”    
“That can’t be right,” Five argued. “You were basically willing him to be here.” Ben didn’t even try to answer as he looked down, examining the wood of the table.   
“Right,” Luther suddenly said, trying to bring some order back to the detached group. “ Well, now we have Klaus back. That’s good, we’re all here. Now we can get back to what we’re here for.” Ben took the opportunity to zone out. He wasn’t really needed for the rest of the conversation anyway. He just got to work finishing his breakfast. He was the first of the six to leave the table.   



	4. It's Getting Late

It was amazing to Ben how quickly they fell into their old routine. The five of them had met in the courtyard - Klaus hadn't bothered to show up and Vanya wasn't invited - and had completed their combat training like this was any other monday morning while they were growing up. Everything had changed yet nothing had changed. 

After training Ben automatically moved to the library. This had been his normal routine the last time, and he didn't even have to think about what he was doing for his legs to carry him there. It was a bit of a shock to him when someone was already there. Vanya was pouring over what looked like 30 or more books but looked up when he entered and smiled. 

"I thought I'd do some research on emotions," she explained to him, gesturing at the books in front of her. Ben walked over and looked at the books she was pointing at.  _ She must have pulled every book on emotional control we have, _ Ben thought to himself and he looked over the selection. It was a wide selection, spanning from binders of psychology articles, to 'My First Feelings' books, even with some fad science books dispersed between them. 

"Wow Vanya," he gasped. "you've read through a lot! It was only a few hours since we saw each other ." Vanya suddenly looked a bit guilty. 

"well, I didn't understand most of it," she said, a coy smile playing on her face. "I've picked up a few things though." she started gushing about mood tracking and redirection while Ben started towards the sofa she was on, sitting down next to her. 

"you're doing so great, Vanya," he congratulated, "it shouldn't be too long until we can start doing something about these meds." Ben didn't miss the flash of anxiety that came into Vanya's eyes at the thought, but as he watched she fought it, breathing deeply, and eventually smiled at him. He almost laughed with astonishment. 

"Honestly, you come so far Vanya, " he smiled back at her. 

They spent the next half hour passing anxiety tips, but it wasn't long until it was lunch time. They started out of the library and Ben automatically glanced up the stairs and froze. There was Klaus. He stared back at him for a split second before turning and going back to his room. It was Ben's turn for his anxiety to rise. He didn’t even notice they were out until Vanya touched his shoulder, her eyes watching Them wrap around anything They could reach. Ben had enough calm left to be able to tell Them to leave Vanya alone as They were creeping towards her. He could feel Their death grip on the railings on the stairs and he had no doubt They would snap Vanya in half in an attempt to ground him.   
  
It took a while, but at last Ben was able to regain himself and call Them back. All the while Vanya was staring at him.

“What’s with you recently,” she asked, “somedays you look like you have all the control in the world and other times it’s like you lose all of that.”   
“Yeah.” He took a breath before trying to answer more fully. “I don’t know, it’s just.... Since Klaus has been back I feel…weird… around him. I don’t know what’s going on, it’s like I just know- you know? I just know he doesn’t want to have to be stuck with me… Now he has the option.” He finished his speech, locking eyes with his sister. He didn’t know what he expected would happen. Maybe saying it would make her realise the same thing Klaus did and run away and leave him there alone. He did not expect her to gently wrap her arms around him.   
“Come on,” she whispered, pulling him towards the kitchen. As they went Ben gave one last look towards the stair where Klaus had been standing moments ago.

* * *

It had been weeks since Ben had had the frozen sensation at the bottom of the stairs, and things had not improved between himself and his brother. Most of his time was spent preoccupied with Vanya. They basically had these therapy sessions going on daily now, but it was more than that. They were just communicating, like a brother and sister should. Like a family would if that was really Sir Reginald’s aim, to raise a family and not just a group of miniature superheroes. So it was only really at night that Ben had to be alone with Klaus, and only really meal times that they could even look at each other. Which Klaus never does. Which Ben only does when he can’t help it. 

  
Whenever they’re alone together they don’t talk. Klaus would face the wall, pretending to sleep. Or maybe really asleep. Ben couldn’t work out. And Ben was too preoccupied with Them to say anything anyway. They seemed to become agitated and keep on breaking out. Ben had tried to reason with Them, but most of the time They wouldn’t listen. He had decided the safest thing to do was to stay as far from Klaus as he could, sneaking out of their room once everyone was asleep and taking refuge in the attic or some other empty room until morning. He hadn’t had a good night's sleep since he died.    
  
So it was a bit of a shock and Ben walked into his room and Klaus was up, sitting cross-legged on his bed across from Ben’s.    
“Er-Hi,” Klaus greeted, trying to smile but only achieving a grimace.    
“Hi,” Ben answered, pausing only slightly before walking to his bed. He sat on the edge facing Klaus and tried to ignore the squirming in his chest. Klaus gulped once he had settled.   
“How have you been?” he asked. Ben wasn’t really sure how to answer that. He’d seen him. He knew how he was already.  _ Why is he wanting to talk to me now? _   
“Fine,” he lied, “how about you?”   
“Yeah I’m okay.” There was a long uncomfortable silence as Klaus stared at the edge of Ben’s bed, not quite at Ben himself. Ben tried not to use the time to think of all the times over the last month that Klaus had flinched away from him or ignored him. He could feel Them growing hotter as he remembered.   
“What did you want?” Ben asked finally, breaking the silence. He didn’t mean to snap, but he supposed he must have, because Klaus winced as if he had been hit. It only added to the heat pulsing in his torso.   
“To- Just-,” Klaus tried, but he couldn’t seem to find the right words. They eased back into the uncomfortable silence, and Ben’s irritation climbed. Why is he doing this?   
“Look, I’m just going to go again,” Ben huffed, breaking the silence once again, “I’ve got other things I could be doing.”    
“Oh yeah, go run to Vanya,” Klaus spat, before Ben had even got to his feet. He froze.  _ Doesn’t he know I’m only spending so much time with her because he’s avoiding me? _ They started pushing against his skin. Klaus would have seen it if he was paying attention. Instead, Klaus just continued.   
“I mean, you’re alive again right? You’re ready to be daddy’s little soldier all over again, nose stuck in a book? You never-” before either of them knew what was happening They had shot out of Ben’s chest and thrown Klaus against the wall above the door.    
  
So many things happened at once Ben couldn’t even keep track. It was like everything was going too fast and too slow all at once. He heard Klaus smash against the wall and saw him hit the floor simultaneously, not even registering that one caused the other. He just stood there frozen for what felt like years as his brother lay there, face down and still. He suddenly realised that They were still out, and not only that, but working Their way across the room to surround his brother. The blood ran out of Ben’s face. He was too worked up to stop them right now. The best he could do was try to redirect them.  _ Come back. Please, come back _ he begged Them silently. He hadn't meant for any of this to happen. When he saw the blood seeping out from under Klaus is when he started screaming.   


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look, I'm sorry, okay?


	5. The Other Side

Klaus was higher than he'd been in quite a while. He was sitting on the hospital bed in the middle of the lab, watching as Grace stitched his arm shut. Lucky to be alive. That’s what Pogo had said when he reprimanded him, as if this was all Klaus’s fault. He looked down at his broken body. He hadn’t meant to get angry. It all just happened. Surveying himself, he had to admit, he wasn't just lucky to be alive. He'd broken a lot of bones, mostly ribs, and his radius had broken right through his forearm. He had lost a lot of blood that way, but the main culprit for blood loss was the deep gash leading from just over his right ear, across his forehead and into his hairline. Grace had stitched this up before the anaesthetic had really worked it way through Klaus. 

  
Once he had been sewn up and cast, Klaus was left on his own. He enjoyed the feeling of being utterly alone, not even the ghosts being near him right now, and went over what had occurred in his room. It was nowhere near the polite conversation he had been searching for with his brother. He had known things couldn’t go back to how they were - Ben was alive now - but he missed him. It had been a shock to see Ben standing there, have him touch him, realise he was alive. He didn’t want to get in the way of that. Not Ben was avoiding him. He couldn’t blame him. Obviously now Ben was alive he wouldn’t want to be near Klaus. He leaned back in the bed and looked at the ceiling. That was why he had wanted to talk to Ben, but it had ended because of Vanya. Well, the thought of Vanya, Klaus amended. Over the weeks it was obvious how much closer they had gotten. There wasn’t a waking moment they didn’t spend together. Klaus had even walked in on them in his bedroom. They weren’t doing anything, just reading and talking, but the sight of them both had Klaus turning straight around and leaving again. It’s not that he hated his sister, far from it, she had probably been his closest friend growing up after Ben. There was really no other word for it, he was jealous. She was the one Ben chose to spend his time with, now he wasn’t forced to be with Klaus. Klaus had fooled himself into thinking they had some kind of connection. He was obviously wrong.   
  


* * *

  
  
After the anaesthetic had worn off, Klaus had been helped by his mother to the kitchen and he ate a late lunch. None of the other children were there, it had past meal time quite a while ago. Klaus could only manage a small amount, so once he had done Grace once again helped him to stand, and they made their way to his room, where he promptly fell asleep after she tucked him into bed with a smile.    
  
He must have slept all the way through to morning, because the sun was shining through the window when he woke. He turned his head to the right to see a figure in the bed opposite him.  _ Ben _ . He expected some kind of fear to fill him upon seeing the person who had thrown him into the wall, but he just felt sorry. He would let Ben sleep. When he wakes up, Klaus would apologise. They could have a real conversation then. He would be careful. He would be honest.    
  
It was then that something glinted in the sun, catching Klaus’s eye.It was small and metallic and there were around half a dozen of them in a little pile on the bed stand just behind the headboard of Ben’s bed. It took a little while for Klaus to recognise the shapes.  _ Knives? Why would Ben have knives? _ At that moment the figure in the bed turned, and Klaus saw that it wasn’t Ben, and suddenly it all made sense. It was Diego. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pretty short one today. I didn't really like this bit, but it was needed to get to the next bit, which I'm enjoying the idea of more so hopefully will be longer and better!


End file.
